Brake hose coupling

ABSTRACT

A brake hose coupling for coupling to a glad hand body. The glad hand body has a primary port and a pair of primary flanges bordering and angularly spaced about the primary port. The brake hose coupling has a coupling body with a complementary port and a pair of complementary flanges adapted to rotate coaxially into engagement with the primary flanges of the glad hand body The complementary flanges border and are angularly spaced about the complementary port. The brake hose coupling also has a lock with a latching member mounted to reciprocate on the coupling body adjacent and transversely to one of the complementary flanges, between a release and an engage position. In the release position the latching member has clearance to allow passage of a corresponding one of the primary flanges. In the engage position the latching member blocks passage of the corresponding one of the primary flanges. Thus the latching member is operable to lock the coupling body on the glad hand body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to brake hose couplings and, inparticular, to coupling bodies that can connect to a glad hand body.

Pneumatic pressure in a brake line will release the brakes of a railroadcar allowing a train to move. The brake line is a pipe running along thelength of each car with a flexible hose at either end terminating in aglad hand body. Typically the midsection of the brake line connectsthrough angle cocks at either end to the flexible hose and glad handbody. The angle cock at the end of the last car can be closed to keeppressure in the brake line.

A known pneumatic coupling device (U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,875) can attachto the last glad hand coupling for the purpose of terminating the brakeline and for measuring the pressure at that terminus. This knowncoupling body has a handle with a pair of flanges for engaging theflanges of the glad hand coupling. The device has a latching arm thatprevents removal by swinging into a position behind one of the glad handflanges. A disadvantage with this known coupling is the reliance on theexistence of clearance behind the glad hand flange. Such clearance maynot exist in all models. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,642,892 for a similardevice, but lacking a lock.

The angle cocks used in brake lines often employ a lock to preventinadvertent rotation of the cock. These devices employ latching membersthat are either operated manually or otherwise. In some embodiments, thelatching is performed by lifting the handle of the cock to release thecock. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 236,388; 895,756; 1,707,273; 1,459,654;1,801,816; 2,048,353; 4,423,749; and 4,456,219.

Some glad hand couplings employ a latch to keep the glad hands togetherand avoid accidental decoupling from road vibration. Various deviceshave been employed that involve pivotally mounted latches and wirelocking devices. All of them have had disadvantages in that they moveawkwardly or are difficult to manipulate. For example, to decouple theglad hand couplings of U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,066, a worker would typicallydepress lever 28 and then rotate it under a glad hand flange. Thisoperation runs the risk of catching the worker's fingers. See also U.S.Pat. Nos. 236,388; 873,892; 1,525,794; 3,023,031; 3,052,489; 4,129,323;4,402,534; 4,747,623.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstratingfeatures and advantages of the present invention, there is provided abrake hose coupling for coupling to a glad hand body. The glad hand bodyhas a primary port and a pair of primary flanges bordering and angularlyspaced about the primary port. The brake hose coupling has a couplingbody with a complementary port and a pair of complementary flangesadapted to rotate coaxially into engagement with the primary flanges ofthe glad hand body. The complementary flanges border and are angularlyspaced about the complementary port. The brake hose coupling also has alock with a latching member mounted to reciprocate on the coupling bodyadjacent and transversely to one of the complementary flanges, between arelease and an engage position. In the release position the latchingmember has clearance to allow passage of a corresponding one of theprimary flanges In the engage position the latching member blockspassage of the corresponding one of the primary flanges. Thus thelatching member is operable to lock the coupling body on the glad handbody.

By employing a brake hose coupling of the foregoing type, an improveddevice is provided for connecting to a glad hand body. In a preferredembodiment, a handle has a complementary flange supported by a J-shapedstalk, which is straddled by a pivotally mounted fork (or for otherembodiments, a plate-like shutter is mounted to reciprocate alongsidethe flange). The two tines of the fork preferably straddle the stalkbelow the complementary flange. One of the tines is longer and isarranged to retract toward the coupling body when it is attaching to theglad hand body. When retracted, the tine does not interfere with theglad hand flange rotating past its complementary flange When the gladhand flange passes the longer tine, it springs to a position adjacent tothe glad hand flange to prevent reverse rotation.

This preferred brake hose coupling has a central body with a manualexhaust valve to bleed a brake line that has residual pressure. Also thebody has a fitting to carry a pressure gauge or transducer to transmit asignal indicating line pressure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above brief description as well as other objects, features andadvantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated byreference to the following detailed description of presently preferredbut nonetheless illustrative embodiments in accordance with the presentinvention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a brake hose coupling according toprinciples of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an edge view of the coupling of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the coupling of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view which is the reverse of that of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along lines 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a glad hand body;

FIG. 7 is an edge view of the coupling of FIG. 1 being attached to theglad hand body of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the coupling of FIG. 1 attached and locked intoposition on the glad hand body of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an edge view of a brake hose coupling that is an alternate tothat of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 10 is a side view of the coupling of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a brake hose coupling is shown as a couplingbody 10 having a small complementary flange 12 and a large complementaryflange 14. Flanges 12 and 14 extend perpendicularly from opposite sidesof handle 16. The center of body 10 is a generally cylindrical castingintegral with handle 16. a casting integrally molded with body 10.Flange 14 is a J-shaped bar having a stalk 14A and bearing surface 14B.

Body 10 has a complementary port 18 surrounded by an annular ridge 20with a bevelled outer corner. Body 10 extends outwardly to a fitting 22having an internally threaded bore 24 into a planar face.

Lock 26 is shown herein as a forked plate having tines 28 and 30. Longertine 28 is a latching member. Lock 26 has bifurcated tail 30 straddlingand pivotally connected to boss 32. Boss 32 has an slanted face untowhich is riveted a bias means in the form of a leaf spring 34 arrangedto drive lock 26 away from body 10 and handle 16. The upward rotation oflock 26 is limited when tine 28 abuts the underside of flange 14.

Referring to FIG. 6, a glad hand coupling G of the prior art is shownwith a primary port 40 and primary flanges 42 and 44. The glad handcoupling of FIG. 6 is a hollow body open at port 40 to communicate withfitting 46

Referring to FIG. 7, the coupling of FIG. 1 is shown attached to gladhand body G of FIG. 6. Specifically, the primary flanges 42 and 44 areshown engaging complementary flanges 14 and 12, respectively. Theillustration of FIG. 7 shows body 10 partially rotated into position onglad hand body G. When this occurs, lock 26 is lifted toward body 10 andhandle 16 to provide outside clearance for the passage of flange 42 overflange 14.

Referring to FIG. 8, body 10 is shown rotated into full engagement withthe glad hand body G. Thus positioned, tine 28 has passed behind flange42 and dropped into the illustrated position along side it. Furtherrotation (counter-clockwise in this view) of handle 16 is not possiblesince tine 28 eventually flange 14 (not visible this view) or tine 28will stop against abutment 48. Also, body 10 cannot rotate clockwisesince tine 28 will now abut flange 42. Thus body 10 is locked into theapproximate angular position illustrated herein.

Referring to FIG. 5, body 10 is shown with an exhaust valve 50comprising stem 52 with a head 54 grooved to hold annular seal 56. Stem52 has on the end distal to seal 56 a pushbutton 58 which extentsoutside body 10. Push button 58 rides in enlarged chamber 60 overentrapped compression spring 62 which holds valve 50 closed. When pushbutton 58 is depressed, port 18 is vented through side vent 64. Threadedbore 24 is shown communicating with an orifice 64 to port 18. A pressuregauge 66 can be threaded into bore 24 to monitor the pressure at port18.

In operation, body 10 may be rotated into position using handle 16 withtine 28 retracted as shown in FIG. 7, until the position of FIG. 8 isachieved. When the lock position is achieved, tine 28 is driven byspring 34 into the engage position as shown in FIG. 8. Thereafter, body10 cannot be removed without again retracting tine 28.

If a pressure gauge 66 (FIG. 5) or other monitor is threaded intofitting 22, body 10 effectively seals glad hand body G. Thus if gladhand body G is the last one on a train, the brake line can bepressurized without leaking through glad hand body G. Also, a pressuregauge 66 in fitting 22 can monitor the line pressure and a transducercan be used to transmit pressure information forward.

In the event that the train is parked and the pneumatic pump ordinarilypressurizing the brake line is stopped, (or if an unillustrated anglecock has been closed to isolate glad hand G), body 10 can be removed bydepressing push button 58 to bleed residual pressure inside glad handbody G. Thereafter, tine 28 can be retracted and body 10 rotated todisengage glad hand body G.

Referring to FIG. 9 and 10, a generally cylindrical body 70 hasextending from it a smaller flange 72 and a handle 75. Mounted uprighton handle 75 is larger, J-shaped flange 74. As before, flanges 72 and 74are designed to mate with primary flanges on a glad hand body such asthat shown in FIG. 6.

Integral with the sides of flange 74 are a parallel pair of journals 76and 78 in which a lock 80 is rotatably mounted. Lock 80 has a leverplate 82 integral with a support plate 84. Plates 82 and 84 are about 45degrees apart. Perpendicularly mounted to the side of support plate 84is a latching member 86 in the form of a "P" shaped plate. Latchingmember 86 serves a function similar to the previously illustratedlatching member (tine 28 of FIG. 8.) As before, the latching member 86is position alongside one of the flanges of the glad hand body toprevent removal by preventing rotation of the body 70.

Lock 80 has a bias means 88 in the form of a leaf spring that is securedto the inside face of plate 84 by a screw (not shown). The leaf spring88 passes underneath the lever 82 and bears against the surface ofhandle 74. Accordingly, bias means 88 urges lock 80 into the positionillustrated.

As before, port 90 is shown with an annular ridge defining a generallycylindrical region that communicates through threaded bore 92 to athreaded coupling 94. Coupling 94 can be part of a pressure gauge or aline feeding a transducer for sending pressure signals to a remoteoperator. Relief valve 98 is threaded into slanted bore 96 in port 90.Valve 98 works similarly to the previously illustrated exhaust valve inthat depressing push button 100 vents port 90 through side vent 102.Valving structure employed to allow such venting may be similar to thevalving used in the embodiment illustrated previously.

It is to be appreciated that various modifications may be implementedwith respect to the above described preferred embodiments. The lock canbe shaped in various ways and can be attached to the coupling body withhinges, pivot pins and similar devices. Furthermore, the lock need notbe forked or bifurcated. Furthermore, in some embodiments the exhaustvalve can be eliminated or modified in various ways using alternatecomponents. Also in embodiments where the line pressure need not bemonitored, the pressure gauge fitting can be eliminated. Furthermore,various springs incubing compression and leaf springs of variousconfigurations can be used instead of those illustrated.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

We claim:
 1. A brake hose coupling for coupling to a glad hand bodyhaving a primary port and a pair of primary flanges bordering andangularly spaced about said primary port, said coupling comprising:acoupling body having a complementary port and a pair of complementaryflanges, one of said flanges being larger than the other, said couplingbody being adapted to rotate coaxially into engagement with said primaryflanges of said glad hand body, said complementary flanges bordering andbeing angularly spaced about said complementary port, the larger one ofsaid complementary flanges having a stalk terminating with a bearingsurface; and a lock comprising:a) a latching member including a fork apair of tines straddling said stalk, a first one of said tines extendingalongside said stalk, said fork having an end distal from the tines andpivotally connected to said coupling body, said fork of said latchingmember mounted to reciprocate on said coupling body adjacent andtransversely to one of said complementary flanges between a release andan engage position, and b) a leaf spring bias means coupled between saidcoupling body and said fork to urge said fork into said engage position,in said release position said second one of said tines having clearanceto allow passage of a corresponding one of said primary flanges, in saidengage position said second one of said tines blocking passage of saidcorresponding one of said primary flanges, so that said latching memberis operable to lock said coupling body on said glad hand body.
 2. Abrake hose coupling according to claim 1 wherein said coupling body hasan an external fitting communicating with said complementary port andemerging from said coupling body radially closer to said complementaryport than said complementary flanges.
 3. A brake hose coupling accordingto claim 2 further comprising:an exhaust valve reciprocatably mounted insaid coupling body to vent said complementary port to atmosphere.
 4. Abrake hose coupling according to claim 1 further comprising:an exhaustvalve reciprocatably mounted in said coupling body to vent saidcomplementary port to atmosphere.
 5. A brake hose coupling according toclaim 4 wherein said coupling body has a fitting communicating with saidcomplementary port and adapted to engage a measuring instrument.
 6. Ahose coupling according to claim 4 further comprising a pushbuttonslidably mounted in said coupling body to operate said exhaust valve. 7.A brake hose coupling according to claim 6 wherein said pushbutton isopposite said complementary port and is mounted to slide at an acuteangle to the axis of said complementary port.
 8. A brake hose couplingaccording to claim 7 wherein in said release position said latchingmember is closer to said coupling body than in said engage position, insaid release position said latching member having on its outsideclearance to allow passage of a corresponding one of said primaryflanges.
 9. A brake hose coupling according to claim 1 wherein saidlatching member comprises a pivotally mounted plate.
 10. A brake hosecoupling according to claim 9 wherein said pivotally mounted plateincludes a crooked rocker having a crook pivotally attached to saidbody, said plate having a radial and a transverse wall that arecontiguous and located to the inside of said crook.
 11. A brake hosecoupling according to claim 1 wherein said coupling body has an externalfitting communicating with said complementary port and emerging fromsaid coupling body at an angle between said complementary flanges.
 12. Abrake hose coupling according to claim 1 wherein said coupling body hasan external fitting communicating with said complementary port andemerging on a side of said coupling body opposite said complementaryport.
 13. The brake hose coupling of claim 1 wherein a second one ofsaid tines extends beyond said stalk.